Doris Kim Sung: Metal that breathes

Nature's design Civilization: rise and fall « Thoughts about thinking This is part 1 of my Civilization series. Rise and fall Successful civilisations throughout history have grown rapidly, appearing unstoppable. Some (like Rome, and Han China) existed stably for hundreds of years. Others, like Alexander the Great‘s Asian Empire did not. But in every kingdom, empire and state that has ever existed (excluding the few surviving today, which are probably not as eternal as we’d like to think), something has eventually changed. Yet we have no mechanistic understanding for the collapse phenomenon. There are many mechanisms in history that may cause the strong to become weak. Yet these stories are just that – stories. Modifications to Civilization such as “Revolution” and “Rhys and Fall of civilisation” both make a good attempt at adding this dynamic. Peter Turchin has some ideas – he says that societies have “asabiya” – a unity of purpose that allows for collective action. There is clearly something to this theory, but it is incomplete as it stands. *P. P.